Key facts
- The UN General Assembly will vote on a resolution to adopt a new world map.
- The proposed map aims to more accurately represent the size of Africa.
- Togo is sponsoring the resolution, with support from other African Union member states.
- The current standard, the Mercator projection from 1569, distorts the size of regions near the equator.
- The #CorrectTheMap campaign advocates for the Equal Earth design as an alternative.
- Supporters argue the Mercator map has reinforced systemic biases and 'cartographic colonialism'.
The United Nations General Assembly is set to vote on a resolution that could lead to the formal phasing out of the Mercator map projection, which has been the global standard since its creation in 1569. Togo, along with other African Union member states, is sponsoring the resolution, advocating for a map that more accurately represents the true scale of Africa and other equatorial regions.
Robert Dussey, Togo's foreign affairs minister, stated that the discussion is scientific rather than political, emphasizing the need to accept factual reality. The Mercator projection, designed for maritime navigation, significantly distorts the size of landmasses, making regions near the equator appear much smaller than they are. For instance, Africa is 14 times larger than Greenland, yet the Mercator map depicts them as similar in size. Critics argue this distortion has subtly influenced global power dynamics, reinforcing biases in international trade, development, and education by visually diminishing the Global South.
The #CorrectTheMap campaign, which has garnered over 11,000 signatures and was endorsed by the African Union, promotes the use of more equitable map designs like the 2018 Equal Earth Map. Supporters believe adopting such a map will help decolonize global curricula and reverse skewed perceptions of Africa. Analysts like JJ Enoch from JS Held suggest this move aligns with African nations' broader quest for greater influence and accurate representation in global institutions.
Togolese authorities are optimistic about the vote's success, drawing parallels to a recent UN resolution on the slave trade that passed with significant support. Following the potential adoption, Togo plans to collaborate with Unesco and technology companies like Google Maps on implementing the resolution's objectives.